Particle Collision: Cars Collide at Intersection - Magnitude & Direction

AI Thread Summary
In a collision at an intersection, a 1100 kg car traveling north at 70 km/h collides with a 2000 kg car traveling west at 48 km/h, resulting in both cars sticking together. The discussion centers on calculating the magnitude and direction of the wreckage's velocity post-collision. One participant attempted to use the Pythagorean theorem to find the magnitude but reported an incorrect result of 84.9. Others suggest rechecking calculations and seek confirmation of the correct answer. The conversation emphasizes the need for accurate mathematical application in solving collision physics problems.
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A 1100 kg car traveling north (+j) at 70 km/h collides at an intersection with a 2000 kg car traveling west (-i) at 48 km/h. The two cars stick together.
Find the magnitude and direction of the velocity of the wreckage just after the collision

I did pythag. thereom and got 84.9, but it wrong??
 
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I am not getting the same answer as you, but I agree that the problem is basically just the Pythagorean Theorem. Check you math again. Do you know what the correct answer is?
 
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